On September 29th and 30th, 2010, the
Department of Legal Cooperation of the OAS, in conjunction with Trinidad
and Tobago’s Ministry of the Attorney General, held a workshop which
sought to evaluate and strengthen the efficacy of the Trinidad and
Tobago
Draft Plan of Action, a tool which
monitors the implementation of the recommendations formulated by the
Follow-Up Mechanism for the Implementation of the Inter-American
Convention against Corruption (MESICIC). The workshop, which gathered
more than 60 representatives from government agencies, ministries, and
civil society organizations, was held at the Cascadia Hotel, in Port of
Spain.

The
workshop participants met to evaluate and strengthen the
Draft Plan of Action, which was
prepared by Professor Rose Marie Belle Antoine -- an eminent
international legal consultant. Her comprehensive and substantive work
reviewed Trinidad and Tobago’s degree of adherence to the MESICIC
recommendations made during the
First and
Second Rounds of Review. These
recommendations have a wide scope, covering a broad range of topics such
as standards to prevent conflicts of interest, protection measures for
whistleblowers, standards for government hiring and procurement, as well
as measures to encourage access to public information. The
Draft Plan of Action makes
recommendations on how the Trinidad and Tobago can strengthen
anti-corruption mechanisms with respect to these topics, among others,
and outlines the processes, actors, timeframe, and costs necessary to
implement a specific recommendation.

In his opening remarks, the Attorney-General for Trinidad and Tobago,
Mr. Anand Ramlogan, , reiterated the importance of international
cooperation and dedicated joint efforts by the State Parties to the
MESICIC, and emphasized that corruption was not just a local matter, but
one that transcended borders. Mr. Ramlogan also stated that the workshop
highlighted the role of civil society as well in combating corruption.
The participants of the workshop reviewed the
Draft Plan of Action and suggested ways
in which the implementation of the MESICIC recommendations in Trinidad
and Tobago could be facilitated. The participant’s sector-specific
knowledge allowed them to insightfully evaluate the timeframe,
indicators, key institutions, and proposed measures to strengthen the
Draft Plan of Action. With firsthand
knowledge of anti-corruption measures in Trinidad and Tobago, each
representative had the chance to agree with, modify, or suggest an
alternative to the methodology of implementing each measure. Their
pertinent recommendations will be integrated into the final Plan of
Action.

The workshop in Trinidad and Tobago was just one of a series that is
being held in 2010. These workshops are all part of a general framework,
established through the MESICIC, to fortify inter-American legal
cooperation. Similar workshops have already been held this year in
Belize, Guatemala, Suriname and the Dominican Republic. Upcoming MESICIC
workshops will take place in Costa Rica, and Bolivia.

For more information on the OAS’ actions in promoting hemispheric
cooperation against corruption, including the cooperative action plan
program on the implementation of the MESICIC recommendations, please
direct yourself to the
Anti-Corruption Portal of the Americas.

Edition N° 39 - October 2010

What is the MESICIC?

The Mechanism For Follow-up on the
Implementation of the Inter-American
Convention against Corruption, known as MESICIC for its Spanish acronym, is a tool to
support the development of the Inter-American
Convention against Corruption through
cooperation between States Parties.